Need info on pocket watches

[warrior]

You are correct in that there were "garbage" watches built back then as there are today. One starting place to get an education is to do a google search for railroad watches and bullseye watches. Railroad watches were quality timepieces in the time before computers, radios, and telecommunications. The railroads relied entirely upon well calibrated timepieces in order to safely operate. Train conductors absolutely had to keep to a fixed schedule or you ended up with telegrams trying to occupy the same space at the same time with disastrous results. Now alot of your bullseye timepieces were the Everyman watch and didn't have to meet the same high standard. Some were quite functions and others were not. Do your reading and it will fascinate you. Another point to follow up on as suggested if you choose a mechanical you will news to find a qualified watch smith which can be a very rate bird these days.
If you opt for vintage be Watergate some of the older ones requires a separate key to wind it.

[thescot]

Not being to ascertain exactly what you want, I would offer the following:

1. Want something cheap just for show? Go to Walmart and buy a 10 buck battery operated that will keep good time. (And, yes, pay attention to the way the chain looks; it really is all that most folks see.) Or you can get a nice looking $20 steampunk watch from Museum Replicas. (That's the only reason I ever heard of "steam punk." I was in the store and saw their watches. I just love timepieces of any stripe!)

2. Want something good but not heirloom quality? Try the flea markets and antiques dealers. They often have some fairly nice watches at reasonable prices, but remember that the chain will cost a LOT if you buy a silver or gold one. Should get a watch for 100-150.

3. For truly heirloom quality, check out estate sales. You'l probably want a 17 jewel or better, and I like the ones with the snap lids. (My best watches are railroad watches that didn't have those little open/close lids, but still keep excellent time.) You'll want to save up your money for that, but it's worth owning something like it even if you have no heirs.

You can unscrew the back and face to look at it. A cheap watch will be obviously so in the little details--threads of the face, interior parts, etc. No jewels in a cheap watch.

You really should do a little reseach so that you know the names of some of the better manufacturers: Illinois, Hamilton, Waltham, Elgin all made good watches along with many others. The foreign manufacturers are unknown to me.

A watch like that should be cleaned on a regular basis as noted above. My father and grandfather--both engineers in the days before computerized railroads--were required to have theirs cleaned and checked every year. My oldest one is in the shop now for repair.

The newer, cheap ones are pretty sturdy and accurate if somewhat tinny looking; the older ones like mine will require repair if you ever drop them.

Finally, even Walmart or J. C. Penney have some fairly nice, new style watches in the $50-75 range that are pretty pieces and will keep pretty good time if that's more to your liking. It's all about what you want, how much you're willing to spend, etc. If I were looking, I'd go to my wife's cousin who is an expert in these matters and seek his advice.

[Calico]

It's been mentioned twice in passing so far.

The chain/fob is more important. see here: http://www.cemp.com/chains.htm as discussed in another thread of similar topic.

Any pocket watch will do. Mine (some of them) don't even work, I carry another watch for that purpose. I got the chains first, then the watches I like to match what I'm wearing (mainly one gold and one silver).

None of my watches are expensive, but they look like a million bucks.

[Calico]

I'm new to the pocket watch as well...my question is what is the fob for and how does one proporly wear it with the watch? Thank you for setting up this post and thank you everyone else for such informative post as well.

Kilted Cole, the fob simply attaches to the ring over the winding stem and when the watch is placed in a vest pocket it hangs outside the pocket. This allows you to pick up the watch without shoving your hand into the pocket, which being full of watch may not have enough room for you hand also.

Once you have a fob hanging there anyway, it seems a shame not to decorate it, so either the fobs themselves are fancy (gold plated metal mesh is/was popular) or you attach a dangly piece to the end of the fob.

All above is my opinion, of course. Others may wish to present more historical use, or other perspectives.

[James Hood]

Was gifted with a spring modern style pocketwatch more than 2 decades ago by dear wife, engraved with something special...a couple years before she passed to the next realm. it is a treasured possession and always used when a suit-vest or waistcoat is won. Enjoy your own search and maybe have more than one.

[RAF]

There is something of a false economy here. Spending $40-100 several times on a new piece of junk (and let's face it, much of what is made today IS garbage) only contributes to waste and the land fill. Having a quality antique piece you may have paid $200 for occasionally cleaned or tuned might run $50-100, but when you're done, you've still got the nice watch & haven't thrown something ELSE into the ever-growing piles of garbage. If you're lucky, your watch may increase in value over time as well.

Obviously you're not going to carry a precious family heirloom around in your jeans pocket- that would be a recipe for disaster. But there IS a certain joy that can be derived from owning something with history.

I inherited my Great Great Grandfather's 1902 Hamilton in a gold hunter's case (I'm the fifth generation to own it). Would I wear it to the park to play catch with my son? No. Is it something I take joy in wearing out for a lovely evening - ABSOLUTELY!

As far as which owns the other- I think the answer is "Neither". I am simply it's steward for now. Eventually my son will take care of it, and hopefully enjoy it as much as I am now.

ith:

I completely agree! And kudos to you for such a respectable and responsible stewardship!

[warrior]

My understanding is that originally the fob might have the winding key attached by it's own short chain. Whatever the case a length of chain or ribbon was usually attached in a manner that it hung outside of the pocket to allow the watch to be withdrawn. I really like the look of a double albert with three fobs. If there is one thing victorians understood it was bling.

[Old Hippie]

I have a small collection of them, one from each of my grandfathers and some of my own. After a climbing accident left me with a gushing rip inside my left wrist a couple of years back I took to wearing pocket watches more often and just kept on after things healed.

My daily watch is a Montana Silversmiths watch with a quartz movement. It keeps good time and I never fuss with it. My best watch is a Swiss watch my wife gave me. It gets carried once in a while (she reminds me that I don't carry it "enough").

One of grandad's is a very nice but non-working watch. I took it to a watch guy who was very well recommended, and his comment was, "This watch is worthy of my skill." Then he quoted me $900.00 to fix it.

Once I got my heart started back up, I gave it some thought because it's a very nice watch. But I decided not to -- for that kind of money I can get a fairly nice modern watch if I need one.

[Destin_scot]

I've had a couple of pocket watches...my best and favourite one sprouted legs and walked out of my house one night along with many collectable silver dollars, gold coins and electronic equipment. But that's history. During the 50's and early 60's the Hamilton Watch Company, (now owned by the SWATCH company), manufactured under contract, pocket watches that were available for purchase by U.S. service members. You may be able to find one of these for a reasonable price, and it would look good with a stainless steel watch chain and fob. You may like this style watch as it is different, and keeps 24 hour time, is accurate and reasonable to have serviced.

[sailortats]

I have what I believe to be my maternal grandfathers pocket watch. I doubt that it is an expensive watch as my grandparents were not wealthy and immigrated to this country from Nova Scotia in the mid 1800s. The name on the face of the watch is "Illinois". The diameter is 1 5/8" The front cover has a small engraved picture of a mountain town surrounded by a lot of filigree. The back side has a picture on a 6 point buck standing by a lake with mountains in the background, also surrounded by a lot of filigree. Can anyone tell me anything about this watch?